Gearing.



Patented Feb. 5, l90l. H. B. KEIPER.

GEABING (Application filed Sept. 25, 1897. Renewed Jan. 8, 1901..)

Tm: norms vzrzns co. 7HOTO-LIYHO, WASNINGTCN. o, c.

UTTen TATES 9 Trice.

PATENT GEARlNG.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 667,659, dated February5, 1901.

Application filed September 25, 1897. Renewed January 8,1901. serial No.42,558. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY B. KEIPER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Laucaster, in the county of Lancaster and State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inGearing; and I do hereby declare the following to bea full, clear, andexact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilledin the art to whichit appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to gearing designed more particularly fortransmitting rotary motion between two parallel shafts at a considerabledistance apartas, for example, the crank-shaft and the wheel-shaft of abicycle although it is not limited to this particular form of gearing.

The main object is to reduce friction to the minimum While preserving aneifective engagement between the members of the gearing for transmissionof power; and to this end the invention provides a practical mode ofemployingrollersin the gearing where contact is had between the membersthereof for transmission of movement, convenience in assembling theparts, compactness thereof when assembled, and complete protection fromdust being desiderata to which due regard has been paid.

WVith the above-stated objects in view the invention may be said toconsist in the novel features of construction and combinations of partswhich are specifically described hereinafter, the essential elementsbeing recited in the appended claims:

he drawings which accompany and form part of this specificationillustrate an embodiment of the invention.

Of said drawings, Figure 1 represents a longitudinal section of thecomplete gearing. Fig. 2 represents a face view of one of the toothedgear-wheels. Fig. 3 represents a face view of one of the ball-carryinggear-wheels. Figs. 4: and 5 represent, respectively, a face view and acentral section of a ball-retainer employed in connection with thegear-wheel shown in Fig. 3; and Fig. 6 is a section on the line V1 VI ofFig. 1.

I have here chosen to illustrate and describe the invention embodied inbicyclegearing, and the letter A designates the crankshaft of a bicycle;A, the crank fastened thereto; A the crank-hanger; B, the fixed axle ofthe rear Wheel, and B the hub of the rear wheel. Fastened to the shaft Aand the hub B, respectively, are bevel-wheels Oand O of disk form,dished and cut with teeth 0 and c, which are concaved in theirconfronting sides, as clearly shown in Fig. 2 at 0 the inner sides orbottoms of the spaces between the teeth being also concaved, as shown at0 A shaft D extends obliquely between said wheels, projecting over theinner side of the wheel 0 and over the outer side of the wheel 0, andsaid shaft carries at its ends bevel gear-wheels E and E, coacting withthe wheels 0 and C, respectively. The beveled face of each of saidwheels E and E is formed with a seriesof equidistant sockets c ofpartly-spherical contour and also with an encircling groove e, extendingthrough said sockets, but not of the full depth of the same. Balls F areseated loosely in the sockets e and take the place of teeth on thewheel, the said balls projecting from the beveled face of the'wheel forengagement with the teeth 0 or c of the coacting wheel 0 or O. Thegroove epermits an elongation of said teeth to such an extent as tocause their engagement with as much as two-thirds of the peripheralsurface of the balls,wherebya very effective intermeshing fortransmission of power is insured. The concavities in the confrontingsides of the teeth and the bottom sides of the spaces between the samepermit a close engagement of the teeth with the balls, as will beapparent.

The bearing for that end of the crank-shaft appearing in the drawingscomprises a cone a, fastened on said shaft, a ball-race a, fitted in theend of the crank-hanger A and balls a interposed between said cone andsaid ball-race.

The crank-hanger is formed integral with a gear-casing comprising aflattened portion G, inclosing the wheel B, and a cylindrical portion G,inclosing the wheel E, and having exterior screw-threads for engagementof interior screw-threads of a ca G a lied P PP IOO

ing for the front end of the latter comprises the tapered and groovedrear end at of the wheel E, a set of balls 01 in the groove thereof, anda ball-race d held in place by an inwardly-projecting flange d of thecap G The power-transmitting balls F are loosely confined in the socketsof the wheel E by parts associated with the casing as follows A ring fembraces the wheel at the base of its beveled face, and a retaining cupor shell f is applied over said beveled face and is coupled with saidring by means of screwthreads, as shown. Said cup or shell is formed toextend over the balls and with its edges close to the periphery of thewheel, and it is held from rotation by means of a number of lugs fformed upon it and engaging longitudinal groovesf in the inner wall ofthe cylindrical portion of the casing. The cup or shell constitutes initself a casing completely closing in the balls over the greater portionof the periphery of the wheel; but where it comes opposite the wheel Bsaid shell is made with an opening f of sufficient extent to permit theteeth of said wheel B to pass freely into and out of engagement with theballs; but the latter are always confined to the wheel E, though at alltimes free to turn.

The mode of connection between the ballretainer and the outside casingabove described is advantageous in that it permits suflicient playbetween these parts to prevent any binding of the retainer on the ballsshould the frame of the machine spring or twist.

The bearing for the hub 13 of the rear wheel comprises a cone h,fastened to the wheel 0, a ball-race It, held in place by an internalshoulder or flange of a casinginclosing the gears, and a row of balls7L2, interposed between the said cone and ball-race. The casing abovementioned comprises a central portion or boss I, embracing the axle B, acylindrical portion I, encircling the wheel 0 and closed by a flange t'on the hub B, and a cylindrical. portion 1 encircling the wheel E andclosed by a screw-cap I The latter receives the rear end of the tube H,a bushing j being interposed and formed integral with a diskj, extendingover the inner side of the cap and having a flange j which holds inplace a ball-race K. The bearing for the rear end of the shaft D issubstantially the same as that for its front end, and the same remarkapplies to the means for confining the power-transmitting balls in thewheel E, and a repetition of the description already given is deemedunnecessary.

It will be seen that the above-described construction of parts permitstheir ready assemblage and efiects a compact arrangement in which theworking parts are thoroughly protected.

It will be understood that the casings are properly divided to permittheir being placed around the gears.

It will thus be seen that the objects, primarily stated, are fullyattained by the form of embodiment of the invention here shown anddescribed. It is, however, to be understood that other forms ofembodiment may be resorted to without departing from the spirit andscope of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. Gearing comprising a member having a series of spheroidal sockets inits acting face and a peripheral groove therein of reduced width anddepth as compared with the sockets and passing centrally therethrough;balls seating in the sockets; and a member having teeth entering thegroove for extended engagement with the balls.

2. Gearing comprising a wheel having a beveled socketed face, rollersseating loosely in the sockets, a stationary ring embracing the wheel atthe base of its beveled face, a shell or casing secured to said ring,and extending over the socketed surface of the wheel and confining therollers therein, said casing having an opening of limited area, and awheel having teeth which enter said opening for engagement with therollers, substantially as described.

3. The combination with gearing, comprising a member having sockets inits acting face, rollers looselyseated therein, and amemher having teethengaging said rollers; of a retainer for said rollers embracing thefirstnamed member, and a casing covering both members and engaged withsaid retainer.

4. The combination with gearing comprising a wheel having a series ofsockets in its acting face, rollers loosely seated in said sockets, anda wheel having teeth engaging said rollers; of a casing for said wheels,and a retainer for said rollers engaged with the casing.

5. The combination with gearing comprising a wheel having a series ofsockets in its acting face, rollers loosely seated in said sock- IICets, and a wheel having teeth engaging w Witnesses:

O. D. MEYERs, HARVEY B. LUTZ. I

